


Watermelon Kisses

by BaeksHyuck



Series: Living Backwards [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Boys Kissing, Johnil sleeping in the same bed inspired this, M/M, also uwu hyuckiw between them, in retrograde should be dead but O couldnt stop thinking about it, markhyuck are cute boyfriends, sleepover, watermelon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 03:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20828552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BaeksHyuck/pseuds/BaeksHyuck
Summary: In which Taeil interrupts a sleepover, and Donghyuck finally confesses his love.





	Watermelon Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little snippet that is set post-in retrograde. You dont really need to read that fic to understand this one, but I believe it’ll be more enjoyable if you do. Also, YES. Donghyuck cuddling Johnil in that one video inspired this :D!

"Are you sure you don't want to join?", Donghyuck asks as he examines the pack of red licorice on the shelf. They glisten prettily under the fluorescent lights of the store, and Donghyuck knows Youngho won't be happy if he brought unhealthy snacks home. but hey, there is an occasion today, so he allows himself the joy of putting the candy in his shopping basket, its been a while since he last indulged in snacks.

"Will you stop that?", Jeno sighs and he almost sounds irked, "For the millionth time, Mark will not appreciate me crashing your sleepover." Jeno's own basket rattles when he throws in the fifth bag of chips. He makes a face. "I will not appreciate crashing your sleepover."

Donghyuck rolls his eyes. It was just a sleepover. They will not be sleeping on the same bed, or anything of that sort, at least Taeil made that clear before he gave his permission to have someone, not just anyone but Donghyuck's boyfriend, to spend the night.

He considers taking another pack of sour punch because he knows Mark loves their mind-damaging sour taste, but he stops himself last minute. Having too much unhealthy candy won't do him any good. The older boy is an athlete, he ought to eat more healthily.

"Anyway, I have a project meeting to attend to tonight.", Jeno says. He sounds too casual, almost too casual as he says it, that Donghyuck knows it's a lie. They might be best friends, and Donghyuck really loves Jeno, he definitely is an irreplaceable friend, yet he never pries when he can tell that Jeno is trying to hide something. He lets him be, because he knows Jeno will tell him about whatever it is he is trying to stay clandestine about when he's ready. they trust each other in their own ways, and Donghyuck finds that thats the most important thing. They know each other in all the ways they don't.

They walk to the cashier, and Donghyuck looks around the store one last time to see if he forgot anything.

Popcorn, check.

Candy, check.

Soda, check.

His eyes land on the glinting shine of a green round watermelon that reflects the white lights of the store. 

He leaves the line, and Jeno gives him a confused look.

"Forgot to get something. Go ahead without me, I'll text you later!", He informs him, before talking a sharp turn to the fruit aisle. 

-

It's a struggle to get his grocery bags to balance on his bike ride home. Thankfully, the watermelon he bought fits perfectly in his backpack, so it could have been worse he figures.

The house is empty for a while today, because its owners left for a dinner date. Donghyuck might have or might have not purposely invited Mark today since Taeil and Youngho will be out of the house. 

The two men knew of Mark. He always greets them politely in the morning when he picks Donghyuck up for school, and Taeil always wiggles his eyebrows at them, when he manages to catch them a moment before Donghyuck scurries away, boyfriend in tow.

No one told him that having a boyfriend will make him feel this awkward with his family. It was like holding a giant bouquet of colorful flowers in the middle of a bustling street. It wasn't unpleasant, it gave him a giddy feeling deep down in his chest, but it still made him feel awkward. He knew both Taeil and Youngho liked flowers however, Donghyuck couldn't help but hesitate at the thought of what if this particular Mark-shaped flower is not to their liking?

Awkward or not, it is still Mark who happens to be his boyfriend. He could talk a stray cat into becoming his best friend; he is this charming. Moreover, his personality is something pulled out of Youngho. Anyone who knew them both would agree that they'd like each other easily. However, Donghyuck found himself with the irrational, he admits, fear of Taeil and Youngho not being fond of his boyfriend.

It shouldn't feel that way, but Donghyuck's brain is already convinced of all the what ifs that could occur upon their meeting.

He puts the grocery bags on the kitchen island, and then goes into his room. The sun is almost setting, and he needed to set the extra futon Youngho pulled out for him this morning on the floor near his bed. He discards his back pack on his bed, and he starts working.

By the time he sets it, showers and gets dressed, he hears the ringing of the door bell, and almost bounces to the front door. Donghyuck almost forgot that houses have doorbells.

He finds Mark leaning against the door frame when he opens the door. He promptly engulfs Donghyuck in a tight hug, as though he hadn't just seen him this morning in school, as though they were lovers separated for years.

"Hey! I just showered." Donghyuck whines as he makes absolutely no moves too push the older boy away. He kinda missed him too, how ridiculous.

"Mhmm and you smell amazing, love.", Mark drawls in to his hair. It makes Donghyuck shriek, and he puts a firm hand on Mark's chest to push him off. He feels his face heat up.

Thank goodness Taeil and Youngho weren't around to witness that.

"Rule number one, don't call me that. At least not today. Or tomorrow morning." Donghyuck tells him, still red faced and holding a finger up to Mark's eyes.

Mark pouts, and it makes the younger huff. Mark is adorable yes, but Donghyuck had to control himself. That is why he just ignores his sulking boyfriend, and pulls him instead upstairs towards his room.

"Did you get a change of clothes?" He asks. Mark nods, pout still on his face. "Toothbrush?", He nods again, pout growing bigger. Donghyuck rolls his eyes, trying to seem unaffected, and pushes him into the bathroom. "Shower." He tells him, before he leans in to place a quick chaste kiss on his cheek. He tells himself that It is only to sedate Mark, and to stop him from being a big baby, but his heart does a whole routine of acrobatics at the gentle brush of his lips against Mark's heated skin.

The older's adorable smile only appears then, and he lifts two fingers as though in salute before he locks the door to Donghyuck's bathroom. 

He fusses about the futon on the floor while Mark is in the bathroom, wondering if he should put two more pillows on the bed, but then he remembers that the other is an absolute heathen who sleeps without a pillow, so he leaves only one out of the goodness in his heart. He also brings out a pair of extra slippers Taeil has stored in the hallway cabinet, because Mark doesn't have a pair.

Mark comes out a few minutes later, minutes that felt like eternity, and his hair is damp. He jumps on Donghyuck's bed, bringing down the younger with him, as he bounces. Shiny like a dark veil, his hair glistens, and Donghyuck finds himself worrying that his boyfriend will catch a cold. Mark doesn't seem to share his worries though, as he nuzzles his head closer to Donghyuck, letting the damp hair tickle Donghyuck's cheek.

"Let me dry your hair." Donghyuck says, holding a strand between his fingers, tugging at it. Mark however, only lets out a pathetic whine and burrows his head deeper into Donghyuck's neck. He stays straddling Donghyuck on the bed.

Donghyuck cards his fingers through the wet strands, and he speaks without thinking, ready to convince Mark to get up, "Babe—"

Mark raises himself up fast, pinning Donghyuck under him, effectively knocking his breath out of him. His gaze is hard and accusing as he looks down on Donghyuck, and the younger wants nothing more than to look away. He can't, though. Not when Mark looks irresistibly handsome with his loose tee, bare face, tired eyes, and wet hair dripping water drops on his face, "Oh so you are allowed to say babe, but I'm not allowed to call you Love," He leans in closer to Donhyuck's face, "Love?" He drawls.

That was an honest mistake. He got so used to calling Mark babe when they were alone, that he didn't think much before blurting it out. It was getting embarrassing, and it makes him entertain the thought of running away and spending the night sleeping outside near the sunflowers Youngho recently planted. His heart does some more dances in his chest, and he feels his finger curl into a fist, as he tries to stop himself from just pulling Mark on to him and holding him forever. Instead of running away, or hugging Mark, Donghyuck settles on pushing him off.

"Scoot over, doofus. You'll catch a cold.", He says.

"I liked babe better.", He groans, falling on the bed again. Donghyuck runs to the bathroom to grab the blowdryer, and to will the hideous blush he knows is there to disappear before his boyfriend notices. He finds Mark's clothes thrown atop his in the laundry basket, and he feels a rush of what he can only call butterflies. Fucking butterflies, get a grip Donghyuck. He goes out again, trying not to think about how domestic it all suddenly feels.

"You have a watermelon in your backpack?", Mark bellows the moment he comes in to sight, holding the watermelon Donghyuck forgot about, laughing, no doubt at him.

"Why do you have a whole watermelon in you bag?", Mark sniggers uglily unable to stop himself.

Donghyuck fights a stubborn blush that he feels creeping up his face again. "It's a healthy snack." He mumbles abashed, as he busies himself with the blowdryer. Mark knows that Donghyuck only bought the fruit because Mark loves eating it. and Donghyuck knows that Mark knows that.

"Thank you." Mark says with a smile, and his cheeks are pink form the effort he spent on hiding his laughter. He settles between Donghyuck's legs, to let him access the top of his head comfortably, as he starts to work the hot air onto his hair.

It takes a few seconds before Mark talks again, "Jeno said I act like Youngho." He leans back to look at Donghyuck's face, hair now dry and fluffy, and spreading all over Donghyuck’s lap. "Is that a good thing?"

His question makes Donghyuck realize that Mark is just as nervous about meeting them, if not even more. He just hums his response, trying to sound not unnerved, combing the black hair away from his eyes, and Mark closes his eyes for a second, enjoying the feeling of Donghyuck's fingers in his hair.

"Maybe you can ask Youngho for a know-how to deal with a Gemini. He's an expert I tell you." Donghyuck tells him with a laugh. Thinking of all the unnecessary banter Youngho had to participate in just so Taeil can be well... Taeil, is never not funny. Yet, Donghyuck knows Youngho wouldn't have it any other way, if the dramatic declarations of love he witnesses almost everyday are anything to go by.

"Oh, so Taeil's a Gemini like you?", Mark asks as he pulls away. Donghyuck hums his response, waiting for Mark to climb back up on the bed, except Mark takes the forgotten watermelon in his arm, and stands a foot away from the bed. "Lets go have a healthy snack before your dads comeback home." He says with a little giggle, like he still can't believe Donghyuck bought the fruit.

Donghyuck doesn't remember when Mark stopped trying to figure out who are Youngho and Taeil to him, and when he started to refer to them as Donghyuck's dads. Both men aren't much older than them, but he doesn't correct Mark, anyway. He liked the sound of it; they are his family after all. 

Donghyuck pushes himself off the bed, and they both make their way to the spacious kitchen.

Donghyuck searches for the large knife he enjoys to use whenever he slices his fruits, while Mark shuffles around for a while, exploring the kitchen in this house for the first time.

"I thought you didn't really believe in all that.” Mark talks suddenly, finally sitting on the kitchen island while hugging the rigid ball of green. 

"What?" Donghyuck inquires, distracted. He pulls out the knife with triumph from the lowest drawer.

"The astrology thing. I thought you found it unreliable and very volatile?"

He halts, turns to look at Mark pensively as he tries to think of a way to express what he thinks of it. He almost gets lost all over again in Mark's handsome face, but the weight of the fruits knife keeps him grounded to the question he had yet to answer. He did admit that to his boyfriend a long time ago, and he truly never believed in the legitimacy of astrology however, to Donghyuck it was a little more complicated than that.

"I think, there is a truth in every lie, and a lie in every truth. So I might not believe in astrology, but I do think there is some truth in it." He finally says. He takes the Watermelon and begins slicing it.

Mark sits up and chews his bottom lip thoughtfully acting like he knows what his boyfriend is on about. His lips get swollen, and if the dumb expression he wears is anything to go by, he is sure that Mark has absolutely no idea what the words he just said meant. Donghyuck holds back a laugh, that he knows will sound too sarcastic if he lets it out. Mark is something made out of sensitivity and fragility, ergo Donghyuck treads lightly with his bluntness and straightforwardness around him lest the older starts looking crestfallen. And when Mark becomes anything close to crestfallen, the world, quite simply Donghyuck found out the hard way, sucks. 

Donghyuck cuts the first triangle of the luscious red fruit easily, as he had done a million times when he worked at a restaurant in the past. He rethinks his words for a second as Mark takes the first slice, and he holds it up to Donghyuck's mouth. Donghyuck nibbles on it lightly, feeling the shock of sweetness on his tongue, leaving the rest of it for Mark to eat.

Mark takes a huge bite of it, almost eating the whole gigantic slice in one bite, and when Donghyuck looks at him, his eyebrows are still furrowed and his eyes swimming in thoughts as he clearly mauls over Donghyuck's words. Watermelon juice trickles at the corner of his lips while he chews with his lips parted.

He takes another bite, the sound of the fruit crunching between his teeth is loud, or maybe Donghyuck suddenly can’t hear or see anything that isn’t Mark, and a little more of the pink juice slip through his lips. Donghyuck grimaces, and drops the knife on his cutting board.

"For example," He turns to the older boy to explain, "I love you. But I fucking hate how you chew like you don't know how to keep your mouth closed. But I love you more than that little lie. Which is a bigger truth, and that matters more."

Mark's lips part, as he stares at Donghyuck, almost paralyzed. Donghyuck takes his thumb to swipe the corner of his round lips avoiding his boyfriend's shocked gaze.

The younger averts his eyes, wiping his stained thumb on the kitchen towel. That was the first time he ever said it. And it was finally out there.

That was the first time he ever told Mark that he loves him.

He pulls his hand back, and almost cowers back into his chair when Mark doesn't react. But before he does, a hand holds his face in place firmly, pulling him close so that they are nose to nose.

Mark smiles dumbly, "Say that again." He says, his voice only slightly above a whisper.

"It's disgusting when you chew with your mouth open." Donghyuck responds meekly. He lets out a shaky breath, and he feels the warm breath recoil from Mark’s face, back on to his heated lips.

Mark only grins wider, and he rolls his eyes. He brings his face even closer, bumping the bridge of his nose into Donghyuck's. 

The older closes his eyes; blinks for a second too long, so Donghyuck dares this time, without the strong gaze on him, the gaze that would make him bend down to his knees without even trying much, he says, "I love you."

And then their lips are touching so tentatively, so familiar, yet so new, and tasting of watermelon. The motion of their lips is a feeling he couldn't fathom. His brain goes haywire trying to decide what to focus on. He lets out a small gasp when Mark's tongue touches his upper lip. He grips Mark's shoulder tightly, so tight like he was afraid he would slip down and melt to a puddle of watermelon-flavored Donghyuck goo if he let go.

Maybe, because it was all finally out in the open Donghyuck felt naked, vulnerable, and exposed. As though Mark had some sort of power over him. Donghyuck finds that the other boy could do what ever he wanted because he wielded a weapon stronger than anything. Something Donghyuck rarely offered, or even expressed; his honesty.

The catch? Donghyuck's brain faintly echoes. The catch was that Donghyuck didn't mind, because this is Mark. His boyfriend. Someone who reminded him that he is loved always. Mark who caressed the back of his neck as he pressed open mouthed watermelon kisses all over his lips and chin. Mark who made his knees grow weak and the butterflies get high and crazy in his guts.

Donghyuck takes Mark’s bottom lip into his mouth and sucks on the supple flesh, pink as the flesh of a fruit, and even sweeter than its juice. His slides a hand across his broad chest, trying to feel more of Mark, all of Mark.

"Nope!" The door bangs open, as a voice all too familiar hollers loudly. 

Both boys jump apart in shock. Anyone who sees them will snicker at their spit slicked lips and watermelon slices. Taeil however, is not anyone and he gives them a big smile that makes Donghyuck sit back a little more in suspicion of his reaction. His jaw is stiff, and the smile unmoving as he says, "Hello, Mark. How are you doing?", and he doesn't wait for a reply, he turns to Donghyuck, "Donghyuck can I speak to you for a second?"

Donghyuck sighs and hangs his head low. Taeil's scary smile was nothing to be played with. He swallows all the retorts piling on his tongue, before following the older man out of the kitchen, ignoring Mark's fearful glances.

"What the hell?", Taeil says turning to look at him with narrowed eyes.

Donghyuck blushes. "What?", he scoffs. 

"What do you think you are doing?" He lets out a deep sigh, like he genuinely couldn't believe Donghyuck was kissing his boyfriend. 

What else was he supposed to do with his boyfriend?

"Babe. We talked about this.", Youngho's voice, sounding very much like the voice if Donghyuck's savior, comes through. 

"But—"

"No buts, honey." Youngho snakes an arm around Taeil's shoulders and pulls him close to his chest. "Leave the boys alone."

Taeil frowns, and he looks like he's clearly not having it. He turns to Donghyuck. 

"You two are not sleeping alone." 

"What?" "What?", both Youngho and Donghyuck echo in disbelief.

"We are having a family sleepover in the living room."

Donghyuck's eye widen, and he stares at Youngho, pleading for him to say something.

The taller man looks apologetic, and Donghyuck figures that there is no arguing anymore if Youngho looks this powerless. Taeil pulls away from his fiancé, and he comes closed to cradle Donghyuck's face in his hands. 

"Sorry, Hyuckie. I promise you'r gonna have your boyfriend-sleepover when you get older." 

Donghyuck huffs in annoyance. 

"Okay. Now how about you help me arrange all the extra futons in the living room?"

Somehow, even with four futons laid vertically in their spacious living room, Taeil decides to lie down right in the middle between him and Mark. Donghyuck pouts and looks up to Youngho who lies on his other side. The man just gives him the same apologetic smile, not unlike a very guilty puppy. 

He turns back to Taeil. He glances over his body to see Mark, who looks like a hard cold piece of wood, trying to not turn in Taeil's direction, and failing to look like he was already sleeping. 

"Hyung." Donghyuck whines as he clings to Taeil's arm. Taeil raises an eyebrow at him. 

"C'mon. Let's switch places.", he grouses with a high voice.

"Nope." 

Donghyuck's pout deepens and he shuffles so that he was almost lying on top of him. Maybe if he suffocated him, Taeil will move. However, the older man just stubbornly looks him in the eyes and loops an arm around his waist with an obstinate smile adorning his face, "Nope."

Donghyuck glares at him, pressing an elbow to his ribs, just to see how long he'll hold out. Donghyuck is heavy; the older man should be in pain right now. Taeil however just smiles at him clearly unaffected. Donghyuck groans before lying limp on top of him, giving up. Mark was literally an arm length away, but instead he was stuck on top of Taeil. 

Just as he's about to accept his fate, Youngho pushes him off of Taeil into Mark's direction. He glares at Taeil, and pulls him closer at once. "Maybe don't do that." He grumbles as he traps Taeil in his arms. 

Donghyuck laughs. Of course. 

Youngho wouldn't know how to sleep a day without Taeil being between his arms. Taeil, who was adamant on this arrangement a few seconds ago, doesn't even struggle as he seems to realize that maybe scuffling with the youngsters wasn't worth not sleeping next to his fiancé.

Donghyuck shuffles closer to Mark, who was still lying stiffly, looking like he'd rather be anywhere in the world but here, and he tucks his head near his boyfriend's shoulder. Mark relaxes as soon as he realizes who it is. 

After an ephemeral whispery discussion between Youngho and Taeil, the room falls into a thick sleepy silence.

"Good Night" Donghyuck whispers. The room gets even impossibly quieter for a while.

And just as he's about to slip into dream land, Donghyuck feels the weight of an arm splayed across his belly.

"I forgot to say it back," the hot breath burns Donghyuck's skin as the whisper travels to his ear. " I love you too."

**Author's Note:**

> A very tired author wrote this <_< 
> 
> Twt: @baekshyuck


End file.
